Goals:
1. Students will learn that there are many biodegradable, environmentally-safe products on the market which we as consumers can buy.
2. Students will make various safe, household products by themselves at home.
Resources:
1. Debra Lynn Dadd, Non toxic, Natural and Earth wise,
Tarcher, Inc. Less-toxic products guide. 1990.
2. Golden Empire Health planning center, Making The Switch: Alternatives To Using Toxic Chemicals In The Home, Purin, et.al, 1988. Order through local Government Commission, (916) 448-1198.
3. Heliose, Hints for Healthy Planet, Perigee Books.1990.
4. Experiment Materials
a. A couple of spray bottles
b. Mixing bowls
c. Measuring cups
d. White vinegar
e. Household ammonia
f. Baking soda
g. Corn starch
h. Warm water
i. Cleaning buckets
5. Purchased Items
a. Carpet cleaner
b. Window cleaner
c. Heavy duty all purpose cleaner
d. Scouring cleaners
Time:
Lesson will take between 3 to 4 hours.
Procedure:
Background Information-
Directions for making household products.
To make the window cleaner, mix white vinegar and water half and half in empty spray bottle. To make the scouring solution mix 125 ml baking soda and 125 ml water in old mixing bowl. Substitute corn starch for carpet cleaner. To make the heavy duty cleaner, mix the following ingredients in a cleaning bucket: 50 ml of house hold ammonia, 50 ml vinegar, 125 ml baking soda and add warm water. The students will do a comparison of eight products, four purchased products against four homemade products.
Step 1- Divide students up into teams of 4 or 5 students.
Step 2- Each team will make the four homemade cleaning products from materials brought in by the students and teacher.
Step 3- Students are required to convert the measuring system of the household recipes into metric amounts while making the products.
Step 4- Have the students set up tests that will equally test these products. Students should develop a hypothesis such as: Homemade product cleans better than the brand product. Also, students will create well laid out procedures that can be duplicated for each product tested.
Step 5- Have each students write a paper explaining the results of the team's experiment results. Guideline questions for paper: Why do people use hazardous products? Do we really need a lot of these products? Does the media and advertising tell us what to buy? What did people use for household products and cleaners 50 to 60 years ago?
Assessment:
1. Students will complete results on paper, of their teams experiments. Students will be assessed in accordance with "Writing Rubric."
2. Each team will hand in the correct metric conversion of the ingredients for household product recipes. This will be assessed in accordance with the "Team Participation Rubric."
Curricular Strands and Major Concepts:
1. Language Arts- collaborative working, communication, recording.
2. Math- conversion of ingredients into metric amounts.
3. Science- experimenting hypothesizing setting up experiments.
Possible Extensions:
1. Students could research potential hazardous chemicals that are used in their school.
2. Students could research and put together a handout containing other recipes for homemade household products.
Bibliography:
California. Integrated Waste Management Board. A Consumer Guide to Safer Alternatives To Hazardous Household Products, Part 2. April 1992.